This was great! Here comes Aria and her bonky magic and she has to take part in a contest to win the magical gardens in her town to save the shops...and one of the contestant is none other than the most powerful mage in the country, The guy she met years ago and had a crush on, until he did the unforgettable.

This was a lot of magic, a pet/familiar badger YES YES... and magic animals. This was great and really cute.
Why 4 stars and not 5?
2 points didn't quite make it for me :
- sex scene was ... meh...
- the final scene was a bit quick and too much "happily ever after" for me, didn't sound too realistic. Yes i know... realistic in a magical world... but still.
BUT, this is just my opinion, you might like it!
It was still amazing and I would definitely recommend.

*Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for access to the book against an honest review.*

This was such a mixed bag for me - I loved the premise of it and was really in the mood for a more cozy read after some heavier books, and it certainly delivered on that point. However, I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style at times, like the way in which we are thrust into the world of Charming Cove without much explanation behind the magical community and how they integrate into normal society, or Aria's backstory and her life before moving back home. I did enjoy the competition element and how in returning home to her loved ones they helped her when she needed it most. I didn't love Aria and Callan together as much as I would've liked to - I just felt the pacing was off in their transition from unrequited love to a full-blown relationship and it seemed unrealistically lacking in any complications.

3.5 stars
So this was a quick and (mostly)fun read!
Basically, Aria is a witch who fled from her witchy home town because her powers are no good and everyone was mean to her. But there’s this competition because a local witch is retiring and needs an heir for his super cool and unique and expensive garden. For some reason, her family thinks Aria is the perfect person for this competition so she participates.
Callan is a super powerful witch (he’s also rich) and is also participating. Aria hates him but he’s totally obsessed with her.
You can see how it goes…

This is where it gets a little icky. Callan and Aria met a few years prior (8 or so?) when Aria was *17* and Callan in his early twenties. They meet and talk and sparks fly and he asks her how old she is, she says her age and he’s totally disappointed, but, thank god, doesn’t act on it.
Now, in the present, when we get his POV, he admits that he has a crush on her, and had one ever since she was seventeen!

Aria as a character was a little annoying and some of her choices and thought processes were frustrating. The present and legally aged characters did have some chemistry, though I must say that it was a bit weird how the book was written or what age category this falls in.
I feel like the book, on a comprehension level and what I would say the target audience would be, this should be Young Adult. It isn’t though, and there are some (I think 1 1/2) spice scenes in it. (If you want to read the book and don’t like spice, you can totally skip them). That left me a little confused. The ending was a bit predictable, but to be honest, with this book, I don’t mind. I read this mostly for a fun and fast paced read and some good witchy vibes and that was definitely delivered. Not a literary masterpiece but hun nonetheless!
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I received this book as a ARC (advanced reader copy) from NetGalley and am grateful for that. That fact does not change anything about this review and all my opinions are my own.

"The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic" by Linsey Hall is a charming and delightful witchy romance that will capture your heart. Aria, a mid-twenties witch, returns to her small hometown of Charming Cove to compete in a contest and prove herself worthy of inheriting the coveted witch's garden. With relatable characters and a magical world that feels enchantingly real, this book is a perfect summer read. The sweet romance between Aria and Declan, a powerful warlock, adds warmth to the story, while well-developed supporting characters bring depth and charm. Although the ending felt a bit rushed, the overall experience of this cozy and easy read was highly enjoyable. If you're looking for a witchy and captivating book that is both charming and easy to dive into, I highly recommend "The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic" as a delightful addition to your reading list.

The perfect witchy read for summer, this is a charming story that is well written and has relatable and well developed characters. The story itself is cute, cosy and highly entertaining and I would 100% recommend this to anyone whose looking for a feel-good, witchy romance!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and thr publishes for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic" by Linsey Hall is a charming and delightful read that will leave you wanting more. The book follows Aria, a mid-twenties witch who believes she has been cursed with explosive magic, returning to her small hometown Charming Cove at the behest of her grandmother, in order to enter a contest to prove herself worth of inheriting the premier witch's garden. The story is the perfect summer witchy read.

The book is well-written, with relatable and engaging characters. The author has created a magical world that is both enchanting and believable. It was easy to imagine this magical hamlet existing among the human world. The romance between Aria and Declan, a powerful warlock, is sweet and heartwarming. The supporting characters are also well-developed and add depth to the story.

Overall, "The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic" is a wonderful book that is perfect for fans of magical, witchy romance. I was won over by the characters and recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of a cozy witchy romance.

This was a read that satisfied my green witch heart. I never knew what I was missing from a witchy romance that involved so many plants, until now.

Lindsey Hall creates a charming witchy romance focused around a competition to win ownership of the local magic garden of Charming Cove. Follow along as main character, Aria, stumbles out of her lackluster life in London and back into her home town to try and win - despite her haywire magic - whilst also trying to avoid her nemisis and the witch world’s hottest billionaire, Callan Hawthorne.

This book was the perfect amount of cozy and easy reading that I was striving for. The supporting characters - all knowing Gran, supportive bestie Tabitha, and sassy young witch Catrina - really added that extra spark to the charm of this book for me. Though the best sidekick, that stole the show on every page he made an appearance, may have been Boris, Aria’s food motivated badger familiar.

The one critique I have for this read is that the ending felt very abrupt to me. We went from the last challenge of the competition to announcing the winner much too quickly, so it felt rushed.

Overall, I highly enjoyed this read and recommend it to anyone that is looking for something witchy, charming, and easy to read.

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for the ARC of this book.

I thought that a magical world in the land of chick lit. would make this more interesting, but the magical world is not nearly flushed out enough, and the romantic relationship between the main characters was boring. The reason that Aria hates Callan could be solved with a simple, clear discussion. The magical elements were background to the romance, and the romance was just cringey.

I would recommend this for younger readers (who are able to deal with the mature relationship) because it's quick and easy. It's nothing special, but it's not terrible writing.

This book was very cute & fun to read. The characters were pretty simple & the issues they faced were handled without too much suspense. Overall I enjoyed the story & thought it flowed pretty well & I liked all the magical creatures they brought in, especially Boris.

A couple of small things I would have enjoyed seeing a bit differently in the book were that we learned more about Callan’s past to add to his emotional depth & that Aria would have dealt with some of her issues a bit more boldly, instead of waiting for someone else to figure it out for her. Lastly, I do wish there had been a few less spelling & grammatical errors throughout the books, but overall it was very cute & I would recommend as a palate cleanser or beach read!

OMG, guys! This book was absolutely delightful!!

It has humour, family/found family, romance and magical shenanigans!
It was so easy to read that I barely noticed time passing and before I knew it I was done!

It was a perfect, feel-good, cosy book.
It's not complicated and it's not deep. It lacks drama and there are no surprises. It was so soothing!

I'm a little disappointed that future books won't be about Aria and Callan but I look forward to reading more about the people of Charming Cove! Plus, I'm sure Aria and Callan will feature so we'll get an update.

If you're looking for a heart warming read with a sprinkle of magic then look no further!

This book is an absolute joy.
Do not expect to be surprised by the ending but it is great fun getting there.
The idea of a magic community in Britain is genius and I loved the story and the characters who fill this world. Great fun.,

What I liked the most about The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic is the world-building, specifically the setting of the novel.

The way the author has described Charming Cove instantly adds a comfy vibe to the story, and it reminded me of why I love reading fantasy books with witches and wizards.

I could read several more books set in this seaside village location! That’s how mesmerising it is.

The story unfurls in a world where humans and witches co-exist, but the former don’t know about the latter’s presence.

The chapters alternate between the POVs of Aria and Callan, which is essentially done to showcase how their dynamic changes over the course of the story.

Usually, with an enemies-to-lovers romance or a second-chance romance, authors tend to prolong the angst to keep the readers on their toes. That doesn’t happen here. In fact, Aria and Callan’s feelings for each other are so evident that you can predict what’s going to happen.

From the beginning, it felt like their characterisation wasn’t in-depth. I would’ve loved it if their personalities had shone through the narrative.

There is somewhat of a character arc for Aria because of the conflicts she faces. But even through that, you don’t get much of a feel for who she is or the quirks that make her “Aria”.

Moreover, I couldn’t bring myself to care much about Aria and Callan’s relationship. The misunderstanding they had or even its resolution didn’t feel convincing enough. The romance aspect is not heartwarming either.

On the other hand, the multiple quests that these characters had to embark on – that kept me hooked to the book. I always like it when there’s some sort of competition or contest at the core of the plot.

Here too, for the challenges, Aria ventures out of her comfort zone and the journey is interesting to read.

Linsey Hall’s writing is engaging. It’s sufficiently descriptive. I just feel like a couple of elements in the book could’ve been improved upon. That said, I am definitely going to pick up the sequel to this novel.

If you are looking for a light, fun fantasy book to snuggle up with, The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic should be your next read.

This was such a cute and cozy witchy romance! I love our MMC Callen so incredibly much. Definitely recommend for those looking for a fun and cozy romance, with all of the whimsical witchy vibes!

I really enjoyed this magical book. Aria and Callan are very likable characters, as are all the supporting cast of characters. I especially liked Aria's familiar, Boris the badger. I can't wait to read the next installment in the series.

This was such a cute and cosy read! A slowburn romance sprinkled with magic and humour, as well as friendship, family and plants. This is a light and straight forward read, so I finished it within just a few hours and it left me feeling all warm and happy.

All the characters were great, but my absolute favourite part of this book was Boris the badger. What a freaking amazing character!! He's just there accompanying Aria and eating?? I love it. I want a magical badger of my own.

The plot is quite simple and predictable, but it's all written in such a charming way you can't help but fall in love with the characters and the setting. Definitely recommending this if you're looking for a read to put you in a good mood 🥰

Cute and very original, I could easily find myself falling more into the Charming Cove series. My only complaint was the repetitive nature of the POV switching between Aria and the male-love-interest. It felt a little lazy at times with how often and when the POVs switched.

This was such a fun, cute and cozy fantasy read. It gave me cozy autumn vibes in the summer and I am here for it.
This is a romantasy I guess, but I loved that a huge part of the book was just the FMC, Aria, through her journey to self acceptance and assurance. She's a pretty great lady at the beginning of the book, and at the end, she's a badass witch who learned so much about herself and has formed/rekindled amazing bonds with some pretty great and supporting people in her life.
Of course, the romance part of the story was also fun to read about. I loved this sort of enemies to lovers and the forced proximity. I wish it could have been a bit more developped and that we'd had a deeper understanding of Callan. But, he was sill a pretty great cinnamon roll MMC and we all need those in our life.

All in all, if you're looking for an easy witchy fantasy read, look no further, this one is for you!
I for one cannot wait to read book 2!!

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't get through this book fast enough. I really enjoyed the characters and the story. The badger was my favorite supporting character though!

Another charming witchy book added to my forever shelves. This was so cute and left me with warm feelings. I loved the characters and they story. the whole plot was creative and it was a joy to read. I cant wait to see where the rest of the series is going to take us. This is a perfect read for the spooky season.

I really enjoyed this novel, it was so different from other fantasy novels that I have read but in a good way. The setting and the characters worked in good complement to each other and I look forward to continuing the series.